Utricularia capilliflora Species Profile

Utricularia capilliflora Species Profile

Utricularia capilliflora is a terrestrial bladderwort endemic to the Top End of Australia. The species is named for the hair-like appendages on its flower. These antennae extend from the upper corolla lip, and cross over each other at their base to form a ‘V’ shape. The lower corolla lip also has five shorter appendages. The spur of the flower is bulbous. The blooms range in colour from yellow to reddish orange. Each pedicel usually bears one flower rougly 2-3 cm from point to point, and the entire structure reaches around 8 cm tall.

The species is common in the sandy floodplains around Darwin, where it occupies inundated sand sheets. Blooming occurs at the end of the wet season, when the water table drops to the level of the substrate. It is usually locally abundant but can be hard to spot initially due to the small and wispy morphology.

Utricularia capilliflora is closely related to other the antennae-bearing bladderworts U. antennifera, U. dunlopii and U. dunstaniae. It can easily be distinguished by the lower corolla lip, which bears five points (1 in U. dunstaniae, 3 in U. dunlopii and 3 in U. antennifera).

Utricularia capilliflora. Note the very long antennae of the upper corollar lip.
CLose of up the flowers. Note that the upper antennae are crossed. There are give lower appendages.
Oblique view showing the knobbed spur. There is a caterpillar emerging from the flower.
A grouping of blooms.
The habitat of the species in Darwin.
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